


We've Come A Long Way Since Japan

by firejasmine



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-25 10:05:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12033657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firejasmine/pseuds/firejasmine
Summary: Every so often Red Bull (and other high-profile teams) have a get together to allow all their ex-drivers to reunite and give the photographers something to look at between races. On the way to one such event Seb, Mark and Christian end up on a late-night flight together. It becomes the perfect place to reflect, air grievances and put a line underneath everything that happened between 2007 and 2013.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really like to explore the relationship and history between the three big players at Red Bull - the rascals put me through enough emotional trauma when Mark and Seb were teammates and writing about it is better than wringing my hands and wishing they would get along!

It was an odd thing, how three people bound for the same destination could completely miss each other right up until the point they all walk into same plane cabin. Seb had arrived first and was already settled into the corner by the window when Christian entered clutching his carry-on, and the team principal took the seat in front of him with a friendly smile and a wave. That wasn't unusual. Both assumed there would be small talk, maybe a little reminiscing over the four double world championships they had won together, but they had both moved on with their lives and careers. Neither had much sentiment left for the other. 

 

What was unusual was the way they both looked up in surprise - almost horror - when Mark sat down in the aisle seat and coughed quietly to get their attention. "Evenin'. Guess we're all heading for Spielberg, eh?"

It was typical of him, Christian thought, how he could say the most courteous words with the most charming smile, and yet still have a coldness in his eyes. It was a look he had been fixed with many a time and when he had been the team principal and Mark the driver, he'd thought he'd developed an immunity to it. If he had, it had gone. The look went straight through him, and his stomach felt as though it had fallen through the floor. His smile was a couple of seconds too late, and ever so slightly shaky.

"Mark! How lovely to see you. How's retirement treating you?" Christian asked pleasantly, reaching over to shake the Australian's hand with a firm grip and unwavering eye contact. The best handshake, he thought.

"Not bad, mate, not bad. Reckon I'm busier now than I was when I was racing! Less media stunts, of course..." Mark replied, his smile turning wry. Christian had the decency to sit back and laugh, as though there had been no jab at his policy on media commitments for drivers. He settled back into his seat as the captain's voice sounded through the cabin, talking them through the flight and the expected arrival time. They'd heard it all plenty of times before, and none of the men paid particular attention as they tried to make themselves comfortable for the flight. With the positions of the seats, Seb had had an excellent view of the awkwardness simmering beneath the otherwise genial conversation between Christian and Mark and he had a broad smile fixed in place as he struggled to suppress a giggle. That, however, disappeared abruptly as Mark turned away from the flight attendant demonstrating the safety procedure and fixed Seb with a look, his eyebrows raised as though he had known how much amusement Seb had been getting from his eavesdropping.

"Seb."

"Mark."

The German could feel his cheeks heat up as he blushed, but he didn't look away from Mark. Even that was a small enough gesture of defeat he couldn't allow himself. Thankfully, Mark's phone buzzed and he turned his attention to it, leaving Seb to release a huge breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. Slowly, his heart stopped thumping and no other words were said until the plane was well off the ground and cruising. Mark was apparently absorbed in a magazine and Seb had been staring out of the window with his headphones on, deep in thought. Only Christian thought the silence between them all had stretched out too long. He cleared his throat and Mark looked up sharply: the movement caught Seb's eye and he turned to look at the two men in front of him, Christian twisting in his seat so he could see both of his old drivers. It could have been 7 years ago, he thought. Apart from the fact that Seb had found a better hairstyle.

"So... what do you two think of my current drivers? Which one's going to win a championship first?" Christian asked with a grin, trying to start things off lightly. He hadn't meant it as a genuine question. But he got answers.

"Daniel-"

"Max. Although not until I've retired." Seb spoke louder and with a wide grin. Mark responded in kind.

"He's too young. Flaky. And a kid. Fucking fast one, mate, but to finish first, first you've got to finish. Right? You learnt that pretty quick after Fuji '07, didn't you Seb?"

Christian put his head into his hands. This wasn't a podium interview, broadcast to millions. This was private. Personal. And every bit as bad as the debriefs had been.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey continues...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm getting more fun out of writing Christian than anyone here!

Mark held Sebastian in a steady gaze, a challenge clearly visible in his hazel eyes. Christian was already staring at his lap, having taken himself out of the conversation as best he could, and Mark felt boosted by that: all too often when he'd tried to confront Seb during their times as teammates, Christian would step in as 'the boss' and reason them down. But he held no power anymore. Seconds passed with neither man speaking again, but he could see that Seb's cheeks had darkened. At least he had the decency for that, Mark thought.

Eventually, Seb managed to laugh. "That's very true. You know, I don't like to think about that race much. It... doesn't do much for your reputation, crying on screen in front of millions. The less I remind people about it, the better, I think," he replied, and a grin came to his lips that he didn't really mean. It wasn't kind to remind him about Fuji '07, he thought. It had been so long ago he'd practically forgotten about it, and he didn't think even Mark Webber could hold that particular grudge for so long. 

"But you're right. It taught me a lesson as a young driver. Mostly to try and not run into the back of you-" Seb said, eyes glinting, "- and also not to read any of your own press. You weren't exactly kind to me afterwards. I was only a kid." His smile faded and he glanced away, lost for a moment in memories of races long past.

But Mark didn't let him off that easily. "Oh, right, like you're kind to the kids these days?!" he scoffed. He could barely believe the hypocrisy. "Seems to me every other race you're whining about some new driver or another. Even when you know - and I know you know - you'd do the exact same thing you're criticising if you were in their place." He looked pointedly at his old teammate, who had opened his mouth to reply - but the flight attendant came between them, holding a tray of drinks, and both men sat back in their seats and let their anger brood even after he'd passed by.

Christian was glad for the respite. He'd lived through enough of this to know it was usually a good thing to let them air their grievances with each other behind closed doors. He'd already had a brief glance around the cabin and hadn't recognised any journalists or fellow F1 personnel, so he treated the situation as he would have done any of their previous debriefs. He sipped his drink and tried to relax.

After a few moments the captain gave an updated of their arrival time - they had to swing around a storm system and so would be a little late arriving - and although all was quiet behind him, Christian could practically feel the ire simmering in the air between Sebastian and Mark. He could feel it niggling at him and he knew he wouldn't be able to leave it alone. Christian couldn't allow such outward hostility within his own team. Then he remembered: this wasn't his team anymore. He shook his head slowly, a mixture of sadness and chagrin filling him. It had been that way for so long, sometimes he forgot that those days were long past, the days when his team had won races and championships and romped on podiums almost every race. But they had been good days when they had lasted.

"Have you boys seen the exhibits the PR team has put together for this event?" Christian asked suddenly. Both men lifted their eyes in surprise. He went on. "They've done a special presentation with never before seen photos for each season. I'm quite looking forward to seeing it. There's some great ones from both of your first wins," he said with a happy smile. He was thankful to see the smiles mirrored behind him. Both Seb and Mark clearly still thought about those days a lot.

It was Mark who replied first, his tone considerably more gracious than it had been previously. "I bet. I get sick of seeing that awful photo of me with the champagne - somehow it comes out every year," he said with a warm laugh. "Special day, though. A long time coming, but it was worth it." His voice filled with nostalgia, and Christian smiled fondly at him. He remembered the race well, including the drive-through penalty he had protested about. Not that it had stopped Mark from coming back and taking the win.

Even Seb was smiling. "It is special, your first win. I was really happy for you, that day. I don't know, maybe I didn't show it enough, but I was. I liked being your teammate in 2009. We had some great results, yes? My first Red Bull win, first one-two..."

"How many one-twos did we get that year?" Christian asked.

"Four," Seb replied immediately. "Pretty good for not winning either championship, I think."

"Yeah, can't complain, mate. Nice to see a lot of hard work from the boys finally paying off. We spent a lot of time in the midfield. Fantastic to see it come good." Mark added.

"And it set us up well for 2010."


End file.
